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TKR Doreen’s Post Op journey

Doreen, It's really too early in recovery for you to have much stamina. Remember this article that we gave you?
Energy drain for TKRs
Most of your energy is still being directed towards healing your knee and there's not a lot left for other things. Unfortunately, no matter what you do, you can't change that. Your stamina will return gradually, as your knee heals.

Did I give you this article before? It can help people who always seem to be the one doing things for everyone else:
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help
 
So...been a while since I posted. Been kinda busy with quilting and getting basement painted so I can move sewing downstairs.

I’ve had more energy since I cut out pain pills and realized some things. Tramadol really messed with my sleep. Once I stopped that altogether my sleep improved 100%! However...I have chronic back issues and need to take something so start d taking Tylenol 3 again but mostly abounding anything and just suffering thru.

I have also since recovery started on 2 blood pressure meds and I’m having some heart palpitations which are very annoying! I’ve never had blood pressure issues until now.

I ice and elevate every once in a while. I am noticing not a lot of swelling but enough to be uncomfortable. I also find myself rubbing my thigh still and if I am not careful press on the outside of my knee and kinda feel around to see where it stops being numb and there are some extremely painful areas on that side.

I also am feeling some hip pain when I sleep or rather wake up to roll over. I sure hope all of this is normal. I am scheduling my left knee for August or September.
 
[Bonesmart.org] Doreen’s Post Op journey
@Doreen1063, into your original recovery thread where it properly belongs. We like to keep our members' recovery posts all in a single thread. That way it's easy for us to go back and read your history before responding to a question or concern. In addition, the thread becomes a journal of your recovery for those who come along later and want to read about you. So, please post in this thread from now on when you want to give an update or ask a question. If you have questions or concerns that need an immediate answer, please tag an admin, a mod, or other members or all three.

If you decide you'd like a different thread title at any point, you can just post what you want here and we'll get it changed for you. THANKS!

If you are having a problem locating your thread, here is a link with how to do it: How can I find my threads and posts?

Take care because we care!
 
All surgeries place the body under lots of stress, and TKR is a major surgery so lots of stress. This stress can affect your blood pressure, among other things. In a few months, check back with your doctor and see if you still need the medication.

Doreen1063 said:
I also am feeling some hip pain when I sleep or rather wake up to roll over. I sure hope all of this is normal. I am scheduling my left knee for August or September.
Click to expand...

As your knee continues to heal, you should find you wake up less during the night. Have you tried sleeping with a firm pillow between your legs? Doing so will often relieve a cranky hip. You can even buy pillows shaped expressly for this purpose.
 
Not finding much real relief with the swelling. When I’m sitting I’m elevating and icing a couple times a day at least. I e gotten used to being more active now sitting on my butt is frustrating me. I have things to do!! Grrr feeling cranky today.
 
I know, by four months it does get old. I had to ice up to 6.5 months.
 
Yuk! I know I’ve been pushing myself. Am in the process with help of painting the basement for our quilting studio for the ministry and then last weekend I had to spend from Thursday to Sunday evening with Mom who has dementia and I had NO good place to sit so now I understand what others have talked about taking steps backwards. No fun sitting all day again.
 
It's surprising all the day to day situations we don't anticipate and that throw our new knees for a loop. I totally sympathize with the visiting a parent with dementia. I dreaded those visits because half the time I ended up standing for an hour... and early on that was way too much for my knees! Completely wrecked my day by putting my in a recliner for hours of elevating and icing to make my knees happy again. :thud:

On the plus side, your knees recover faster now than they used to. At least, I hope they do!
 
Hi All...I’ve been busy with life and haven’t been around much. I do have my left knee scheduled for September 28, 2018 went in for the MRI as he wasn’t to do a semi custom knee for this one and I could r straiimy leg enough to fit in the knee thing for the MRI. She tried pushing down on my knee and I finally stopped her and told her my knee was stuck bent and it would t go any straighter. I have an implant in my back and can only go they a 1.5 magnet thing and so not sure what they are gonna do.

My right knee is still stiff and sore when I wake up but after a bit it is fine and I’m good and mobile. Back to my beloved quilting. :)
 
Glad to hear you have your left TKR scheduled, and soon will be on the way to recovery.
Doreen1063 said:
My right knee is still stiff and sore when I wake up but after a bit it is fine
Click to expand...
Your right knee is still in recovery, generally knees need a full year to be 100%, once both knees are taken care of and healed this should pass.
 
As Pumpkln said, recovery can take a whole year, so your right knee will continue to improve. We’ll be watching to see how the left knee does!
 
Hi all...I had my left knee done and have had so much trouble getting on this forum but I’m here now hoping it stays good.

Today I’m 7 weeks post op and still having a lot of bending tightness. Have done a bit of outpatient PT but maintaining control of it and not letting them push me. It has been good to get out of the house even though I don’t want to.

I wanted to come back here to see how I did with my right one. Seems I was further along.
 
Doreen1063,
Sorry to hear you had trouble getting back on BoneSmart.
Bookmark you thread, it will be easier for you to get back on BoneSmart.

You really cannot compare your recoveries, every recovery is different, as you have found.

Here is your copy of the recovery guidelines, the articles are short and will not take long to read.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Your left knee had to take up the slack while your right knee was healing. It's very possible that because of that added stress it received more damage than your first knee did. That's why we say to never compare knees. Each one is different inside and has to have different amounts of work done to it. Don't worry about your new knee having a little different recovery. That is nothing unusual. Even those having both knees done at the same time have one that recovers easier than the other one.
 
Called and canceled PT and won’t reschedule. I am so much better off not stressing my knee or my mind so doing things around the house. Actually spent some time in my office yesterday and again today...quiet time, prayer time and then getting the office paperwork decluttered.

Today is get house in somewhat clean mode doing a little at a time till it’s done. Will chop and maybe cook the onions and celery for stuffing I will make tomorrow night. So not a lot and lots of resting today.

I slept fairly well last night. Dr wanted to give me another medication. For some reason he doesn’t want me taking Benadryl to help with sleep. He’s got his reasons I’m sure and I trust him but I’m not gonna take the new med. I take enough already.
 
Have you tried Tylenol PM? It helped me get back into my normal sleep pattern.
 
I have and last knee the pharmacist told me the active ingredient was Benadryl (go figure lol much cheaper) but this time they add two meds to help with the fibromyalgia pain...at night so I guess they don’t want me taking that.
 
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